The present invention is directed toward a protective article of clothing and more particularly to an article of clothing that protects the legs of a wearer from snake bites.
The use of protective legging is well-known in the art. In particular, hunters, hikers, and other outdoorsmen have used various protective leggings to protect against snake bites and thorny brush when walking through heavy undergrowth areas. For example, U.S. Pat. No. RE 32,506 by Hightower, Jr., incorporated by reference herein, teaches a tubular legging made of a basket weave material that protects against snake bites while being simple in form and construction, as well as less cumbersome to wear. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,503 by Hightower, Jr. et al, incorporated by reference herein teaches a similar protective legging. While these garments improved on the art, problems still exist. For example, the tubular leg portion of the protective garments are not of a color or material that blends with the environment. Thus, a hunter who seeks protection from snake bites and thorny brush is unable to reduce visibility and detection by blending with the colors of the environment.
An additional problem in the art exists in the fact that a legging that is made of material capable of protecting one against a snake bite is usually very rigid and difficult to wrap around an individual's leg. Breaking the material into separate sections also is problematic as the joint created in between sections provides a weak spot wherein snakes are able to penetrate the protective garment and injure an individual wearing the garment.
Therefore, the primary objective of this invention is to provide a garment that protects against snake bites and thorny bushes and also blends with the environment.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide added strength to a garment for enhanced protection.
These and other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.